Garden Gate Fabrics is a small, family run, fabric shop. I have been sewing all of my life, starting when I was very little, doing a little hand sewing and then at age 9 joining 4-H. There we learned fashion sewing, hand sewing, embroidery, etc. Growing up we always had access to a machine and fabric. Our mother always encouraged us and let us pick our patterns and fabrics, no matter how wild! As an adult I continued to sew clothing, as well as baby items, costumes, toys, prom wear and started quilting when my children were very little. I have always had a love affair with fabric and also worked in a House of Fabrics back when they were still open. So, when Sheila decided to close, we thought it would be a good thing to buy the shop, as our four children were leaving the nest and I wanted to start a new chapter in my life. I had always wanted a fabric shop and my husband thought that this was the right opportunity at the right time. And, the rest is history....

We opened our doors in January 2008, when Sheila Belyea, the previous owner, closed hers. We are now in our new location at 2184 Chapman Rd, Chapman, Maine. One of my daughters, Alex Cheney works here in the shop with me most of the time. Alex's husband Josh and my son Jake also work when we both need to be somewhere. Josh and Jake also take care of all of our computer, email and web site stuff. My husband does all the carpentry work and moving and lugging and encouraging. Sheila still works here from time to time because we love having her around and she is still my mentor - in sewing and in running the shop. Oh, and if you hear me referring to "Edna," that is Sheila's alias when she is here, since both my mother and one of my sisters are named Sheila.

We have continued to carry all the fabrics that Sheila carried and have added in some fashion fabrics and also more notions, books and patterns. There are plans to build a bigger shop out here that would include class rooms, a quilting room (hopefully with a long arm quilter in it!) and possibly rooms for overnights. We hope to start classes soon for fashion sewing, quilting and other projects; so if you have any requests please let us know. We are also in the process of setting up a sewing lounge here in the shop for people to "try out" sewing and we will have machines to rent.

Well, that is about it. We love meeting new people and seeing the projects that they are working on, so come on out and visit us; sit and have a cup of coffee by the fire while you look at books and, of course, have a piece of chocolate!